


We Loved With A Love (That Was More Than Love)

by Feralious



Category: The Following
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, Episode Tag, F/M, One-Sided Relationship, Stockholm Syndrome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-28
Updated: 2013-03-28
Packaged: 2017-12-06 19:36:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/739339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feralious/pseuds/Feralious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joe finally has Claire where he wants her - with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Loved With A Love (That Was More Than Love)

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to continue this, but seeing as it'll be AU from the second episode 11 airs I probably won't. Really hoping something like this will happen though, I think it makes for a fascinating relationship, as wrong as it is.

“Joey!”

She cried with relief, her knees almost buckling at the sight of her son.

“Mom!” The boy ran towards her, hugging her firmly around the waist, and for a moment she forgot where she was, the situation she was in.

“Hello, Claire.”

As quickly as her heart had leapt at seeing Joey again it stopped at the voice ringing in her ears. She looked up, seeing Joe standing in the doorway, arms crossed, a lazy smile on his face.

“Mom, would you like some s’mores?” Joey asked excitedly, beaming at his mother as he let go. “Dad and I made some. He says I can stay up late!”

“Only until your mother got home,” Joe corrected him, unfolding his arms and striding forward. Claire didn’t move as he got closer; reached out to pat Joey’s head. “Off to bed now, hm?” he said.

“But Dad –”

“Now, Joey.” Then his eyes locked onto hers.

Her voice was shaky and she was unable to look away, but at least she managed to speak. “Go to bed, Joey. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She heard Joey’s light footsteps retreat, then a soft, “Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight Dad.” And for a second she thought back to the many evenings they had all spent together, as a family. The time when she believed she could never love another man as much as she loved Joe.

“So good to see you. Joey isn’t the only one who’s missed you.”

Joe immediately came into focus again, still standing so close to her, and for a split second she tried to think of a way to overpower him, perhaps even injure him – but it must’ve shown on her face, because his smile widened; gained a little more seriousness.

“Oh, Claire, don’t be like that. I’m not going to hurt you. And I would never hurt Joey. Have you seen how happy he is? He finally has his father and his mother. He has a family again.”

“No.” She hadn’t meant to say it; could only think of the terrible consequences of going against him, but her mouth had a mind of its own. “We’re not a family, Joe, not anymore. Never again.”

He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest once more. “Well that’s not very nice to say. You know I still love you Claire, always have, always will. And I know,” he continued before she could even interrupt him, “that you’ve tried to move on, that you have grown so _very_ attached to Ryan… but you have to admit that somewhere, deep inside, you still feel the same about me.”

He stepped forward, brushing some hair out of her face, resting his hands lightly on her arms. “We were perfect together.”

At this point the tears burning in her eyes became too much to hold in any longer and she didn’t even bother to hide them. If Joe cared as much as he said he did, he had to see how much he hurt her, how he’d broken her spirit all those years ago when she finally had no other choice but to accept the horrible truth about him.

“All those girls Joe, those girls… why?” It was a question she’d asked him so many times before, both in custody and in court, but he’d never answered, always bowing his head as almost in shame.

She was shocked to hear him reply this time, her sobbing halting as his voice – still soothing, still as soft and warm as she remembered it – surrounded her.

“I had to, Claire, you have to believe me. It was an urge, so strong, I couldn’t fight it any longer… it’s a feeling not unlike the first time I saw you. That need to make you mine, to have you with me…”

She froze when his fingers touched her face, wiping away the tears, his soft lips pressing a light kiss against her cheek. She wanted to push him away, slap him in the face again, scratch his eyes out, maim him like he did those girls – but she couldn’t move, her body only responding to him, not to herself.

“I am so sorry,” he whispered in her ear. “But it’s part of who I am. I never meant to hurt you, you have to believe me…”

Enough, she couldn’t take this – this evil man, this psychotic killer – did he really think apologizing could make all of his crimes go away? It was sickening, the way he still pretended to love her, still pretended to be human – and yet a tiny part of her longed back for the time when he was still her husband, still the man she loved. Joe Carroll, the charming professor who she’d fallen for so easily – not Joe Carroll, convicted serial killer.

In the end she didn’t even need to push him away, hurt him; he distanced herself from her that very moment. With a look in his eyes that almost resembled concern he studied her face, noticed the emptiness inside her eyes.

“Get some rest,” he told her, taking a step back to give her her space. “I’ll have someone take you up to your room.”

She blinked, somehow surprised by his gentle statement. She wasn’t even sure why, until she figured out that perhaps she’d expected him to treat her any way but this.

Joe appeared to read her thoughts – always had been able to. “You thought I’d force you,” he said quietly. “I don’t blame you for thinking that. I have been very selfish in bringing you here, as I’ve been very selfish before. But I’m not selfish enough to hurt you again. I’m afraid I’ll have to insist that you stay here, but I’ll give you all the time you need.” He smiled again, his head tilted a little to the side. “I think you’ll like it here, Claire.”

She knew for a fact that she never would, that she’d hate Joe from the moment when she couldn’t deny any longer that he’d brutally killed all those girls – but her head was hurting from everything that was going on, the situation she was in about to overwhelm her – and so she nodded, wanting to be alone, gather her thoughts.

Joe’s hand on her back as he led her into the hall was almost tender, comforting; but she knew it to be the possessive, forceful gesture that it was. There was no way he’d ever let her go, not now that he had her. And she could only guess his sick and twisted reasons, for there was really no way that he really loved her.

Had he _ever_ really loved her? She seriously doubted it, even if it sounded impossible that he’d faked it all those years – but then he’d also faked being a sane person, so who knew.

For now she’d play his game, but she wouldn’t go down easy. She just had to keep herself alive, along with Joey. There was no way she’d ever feel that way about Joe again.

Only that was not quite the idea Joe had in mind.


End file.
